


Five-Hundred And Sixty-Seventh Time's The Charm

by angelslaugh



Series: Time Travel Adventures [1]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: I can't write time travel, Multi, This is a bunch of bullcrap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:22:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26278597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelslaugh/pseuds/angelslaugh
Summary: (“How long have I done this again?”She grimaces as she responds.“Five hundred and sixty-six times.”)(“It’s difficult to time it just right. You have to be enhanced, or it won’t work.”“We tried that one round… You were a chocobo farmhand.”“Everyone still died.”)~:~Or Cloud keeps going back in time, over and over.
Series: Time Travel Adventures [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1909330
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	Five-Hundred And Sixty-Seventh Time's The Charm

Cloud woke up.

He stayed in the bed for a long time.

(“How long have I done this again?”

She grimaces as she responds.

“Five hundred and sixty-six times.”)

He sighed.

(“It’s difficult to time it just right. You have to be enhanced, or it won’t work.”

“We tried that one round… You were a chocobo farmhand.”

“Everyone still died because Sephiroth _had_ to choose Macy.”)

He’d even said ‘fuck it’ one time, joined Wall Market.

(He regretted it and had avoided it like the plague afterwards.)

He got up, picked up his sword, and left the inn.

Familiar paths lay before him.

Cloud was tired of it. Tired of _everything._

He wasn’t able to stop, though, not until _he_ was saved.

~:~

Cloud watched Don Corneo’s former place be renovated from the shadows; his new subordinates – the ones left behind – discarded _all_ of Corneo’s items – sold the gold shit, had the weapons melted down and remade – per his order. Cloud didn’t, at the moment, give a damn about anyone pocketing the shit Corneo had that others wanted.

Instead, Cloud left the room and did what he had to – mostly, getting in good with the Trio. Madam M, Chocobo Sam, and Andrea Rhodea.

Of course, it was subtle – and he had to make a name for himself, too, so he couldn’t just _stay_ in Wall Market. He went to Sector Seven, knowing a really nice kid in Wall Market would tell him when the Don’s old place would be ready for him.

He stepped into Sector Seven, and people stared at him as he headed up the road.

(Right, I’m still mako-enhanced… Well, I have the appearance of a SOLDIER.)

His feet crunched the dirt.

(Tifa… She wouldn’t be here, not yet. It’s not time for the Nibelheim Incident.)

People got out of his way. Cloud nearly scowled, but refrained; he headed straight to the bar.

Seventh Heaven was far more of a rundown shithole than it had been with Tifa – hell, it had a different name and everything.

Still, when he opened the bar, all voices ceased as his boots headed to the counter.

He dropped gil on the counter.

“Anything,” he requested; the bartender smirked, swiping his coin and smiling nastily at him.

“How ‘bout nothin’?” A gruff, familiar voice said, the sound of a gun-arm charging. “’Cept your life, you piece of ShinRa scum?”

Cloud calmly turned to Barrett, smirking.

“ShinRa can go suck my dick,” he said, staring up at the older man. “I heard there was a group of Avalanche here. Wanted to see if they were willing to take it up to the next step.” Cloud kept his smirk on his face. “’Sides… wouldn’t they want a former SOLDIER?”

Ninety-percent of interactions with Barrett in his past 500+ redo scenarios had let Barrett power his gun down.

This proved no different. Cloud watched the gun drop.

“Now, about that drink,” he said, leaning on the counter and looking to the shocked bartender, who looked to Barrett.

Barrett nodded.

“How do I know you ain’t part of no ShinRa plot to stop us?”

Cloud arched a brow.

“Because no ShinRa-aligned person would have the guts to pretend to be one of you.” Cloud nodded at the bartender. “Or say what I’m going to.” He didn’t down the drink, his eyes staring into Barrett’s unsettled ones. “The Lifestream is weakened, and it’s because of ShinRa. The Planet needs our help.”

~:~

Contrary to popular belief, time travel was a miniscule chore, considering the Lifestream had the entire population of Ancients to help out – and considering the Lifestream and the Ancients were always sending him to a time before Sephiroth went nuts (and before _he_ died), the Lifestream was basically retaining the knowledge from Before.

Cloud only knew what happened in his past lives as he wanted or needed to – he was smart, not stupid. If he retained _all_ the information from his past do-overs, he’d’ve gone insane.

No, the Lifestream provided.

And Cloud was good – he did what needed to be done. He destroyed mako reactors, getting better and better at it each time because he always returned with the same clothes on his back that he died in – which, he regretted one time, because he _did_ wear that minidress and he didn’t realize that Sephiroth was going to come and try to puppeteer him because he’d _burned_ Jenova, and he’d died as a result of a falling beam – and all the items on it. Including paper.

So, he started to keep notes. Hiding them in waterproof baggies, casting spells to protect them. He memorized how to shut down the mako reactors forever, memorized how to build his beloved Fenrir…

He didn’t write out his plans, because if they got into the wrong hands – Well, he’d seen that. Again, he’d killed Jenova.

He’d set her free in the Lifestream every time by killing the fuck out of her.

He wasn’t going to make that mistake again; no, when he was ready, he’d awaken Chaos and Vincent, who were both knowing of the cycles and yet allowed Cloud to choose the time and place.

Cloud had to be patient.

(with every cycle, patience came easier.)

~:~

Andrea Rhodea was a very calm person. Madam M was not. She was very _clearly_ nervous as the door opened – the Trio turned to see the person stepping out.

A… _boy._

A _mako-enchanced **boy.**_

There was no softness to the boy; he was hard planes and sharp angles. The boy glanced at the three of them, a small smirk flitting across his face.

“Madam M, Chocobo Sam, and Andrea Rhodea.” The boy’s voice was soft. “Welcome to the new regime.”

He stepped fully into the light, and for a moment, Andrea froze.

His eyes were far older than them as he looked around the table.

“I keep the palace,” the boy said, the half-smirk appearing and vanishing, “but Wall Market is yours.”

There was a pause.

“I’m – sorry?” Madam M snapped her fan shut. “Why would we allow a _boy_ to keep this –“

“Madam M, shut up.” The boy’s words were soft, yet his eyes flashed with something unnamable. “It’s only reasonable that people think someone nastier than Corneo takes over. You three taking over would ensure your demises thoroughly, and I’m… Not willing to let that happen.”

The boy’s eyes flashed to Andrea for a moment before he stood. “Halexia will pretend to be the new owner of Wall Market; when I’m here, it only makes sense for her bodyguard to be a former SOLDIER.”

“I’m sorry, but you seriously expect us to believe that you, a _boy,_ to have held the title of SOLDIER?” scoffed Chocobo Sam.

The boy smirked before vanishing, then reappearing with a sword – the biggest sword Andrea had ever seen, aside from one of the Generals of ShinRa – held aloft in his hand.

He then swung it, cutting the table in half.

“I would suggest you acquiesce to your new positions,” the boy said, that half-smirk dancing on his lips. “Accept mine and Halexia as your new figureheads.”

“Who is this Halexia?” Andrea finally asked him.

The woman strode forward.

“I don’t like this idea,” she said, her plain brown hair shifting. “But it has ta be done.”

“Halexia is from Cosmo Canyon,” the boy said, his smirk turning to a smile. “She’s going to help people out around here.” He arched a brow. “Are you willing to go along with this?”

The Trio glanced at each other.

“Freyr,” Halexia said, addressing the boy, “are you leaving now?”

“Yes,” _Freyr_ said, his eyes moving around and lingering for a moment on Andrea. Freyr frowned before moving away, heading upstairs. Halexia tossed them a disdainful look.

“I don’t know why, but he likes you three,” Halexia sniffed, before twirling away.

“What… just happened?” Chocobo Sam asked, looking completely thrown.

“We’ve been given complete control over Wall Market, without the target on our heads.” Andrea tilted his head. “Clearly, you did not pay any attention.”

Madam M glanced at him. “You and him have any history, Rhodea?”

Andrea shook his head, genuinely mystified.

“I have no idea who he is,” he admitted honestly.

~:~

Halexia was an Ancient hopeful. She had the sharpness of an Ancient – and Cloud could tell she was like Bugenhagen, genuinely wanting to better the Planet. Of course, to become an Ancient, one had to be given the mantle by Minerva and the Planet _and_ Aerith… And to impress them.

Halexia was also working on a project to produce cleaner energy like in Cosmo Canyon. She, like many of the people in Cosmo Canyon, was well-aware that Cloud kept appearing – mostly because he had their routines of the day memorized. He _knew_ what was going to happen – he almost _always_ woke up there, especially if he tripped and drowned in mako.

The Planet was always _saturating_ that part of the world; it was easier to kill his past self and send him from Cosmo Canyon to the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, that also meant that his younger self was usually with his former squad, and his former squad was usually somewhere on the Upper Plate, usually in one of the better districts patrolling. ShinRa couldn’t afford to lose _all_ its meatshields, and Sigma Squad _was_ one of the better ones – getting Cloud killed notwithstanding.

Still, as he walked along the street of Loveless Avenue, he spotted them ahead of him. Inwardly, he groaned – there was nobody he knew around. Sigma Squadron stopped in the middle of the road, and Cloud realized they weren’t wearing ShinRa gear. Smith wore his ridiculous ascot, Rodriguez his nice fedora, and Falcon his regular asshole sunglasses.

They were all staring at him as he drew near them – Cloud shoved his hands in his pockets –

“Hey, cutie!” Aerith, thank the Planet, leaped upon him. “I’ve been waiting for _ages,_ Cloud~ How could you _abandon me?”_

She pouted.

“I got held up,” he said, passing Sigma without acknowledging them, putting an arm around her shoulders. “It was your turn to pay. Didja get the tickets?”

Aerith smiled – and Cloud found himself staring as she produced two LOVELESS tickets.

“I didn’t forget this time,” she chirped, finally moving out of earshot and lowering her voice. “Actually, they’re for Zack and I. We’re meeting there tonight.”

Cloud arched a brow. “And your watchers?”

“Well, they may be watching me, but they’ve seen you around enough to –“ Aerith stopped talking as Cloud’s eyes flashed. A warning – someone was approaching behind them.

He stopped, consciously forcing himself not to flinch as he turned when one of Sigma tapped his shoulder.

“Yeah?” he turned and found himself face-to-face with Ramirez.

Ramirez had always been one of the bulkier of Sigma. Sigma was a damn good squad, even when Cloud – as scrawny and small as he was – had been shunted onto the team. The thought had been that Cloud would get stronger or he would die.

And honestly, Sigma hadn’t killed him so much as _ShinRa_ had killed his younger self, sending them to wherever they’d been – Cloud had figured it out, but he’d forgotten it, along with a lot of his old memories.

(The ones of the first life were always, _always, **always**_ alive in his mind.)

“Cloud!” Rodriguez sounded pleased – Smith beamed, Falcon lifted his sunglasses.

“Sorry, do I know you?” He tilted his head.

(He always pretended to forget. It was so much easier.)

Ramirez faltered.

“You… You _are_ Cloud Strife, right?”

“Yeah,” Cloud said, frowning – this wasn’t how it was supposed to go, right? No. Ramirez was off script from eighty percent of the normal times. Well, he was less predictable than Barrett, so maybe this was just… different. Aerith was always up here, though she never had tickets to a play –

He glanced over to her.

She met his eyes steadily.

“Yeah,” Cloud said, tearing his gaze away from Aerith’s. “I am, but I don’t know you guys.”

“Cloudy here has amnesia,” Aerith piped up, twirling and sliding the tickets away. “Flower? Ten gil each.”

The three Sigma members crowded closer. Cloud removed himself from Ramirez’s grasp –

“Hey, Aerith!”

Cloud’s heartrate sped up.

He whipped his head to Aerith.

She arched a brow at him.

 _I’ve done this before, moron,_ she informed him through that brow alone.

(She had.)

“Hey, Aerith, I –“

Cloud turned, meeting Zack’s gaze, a friendly smile on his face. Zack’s eyes were wide; he was thinner than Cloud had seen him last.

(another lifetime ago)

“So you’re Aerith’s date,” he chirped. “Dammit, Aerith! You said you’d buy _me_ tickets to LOVELESS!”

“Oh, _Cloud,”_ Aerith said, laughing guilelessly. “I told you I would… _in hell.”_

He gasped, as though betrayed.

“Fine, have fun with your weirdos,” he said, extracting himself from Sigma’s oppressing presence and Zack’s wide-eyed stare.

“ _Cloud Strife!”_ Aerith’s yell followed him as he jogged away – but when he was out of their sight, he ran, blindly.

No matter how angry Aerith would be later on, Cloud couldn’t – he couldn’t _fucking bear to be around Zack Fair._

His breath shortened – his eyesight blurred. Cloud found himself next to the big-ass fountain. This big-ass fountain had LOVELESS quotes all around it, beautifully inscribed. He was not the only one around it, crying – he knew from experience one or two people were usually around it, crying their eyeballs out – but he knew he couldn’t _keep_ crying.

Damn childish of him.

(in his memory, he never meets anyone around here. Sometimes, he’s dry-eyed, sometimes he’s not. He’s sad, and that’s all he really _does_ know.)

“See, all the sad assholes who come here are crying because of heartbreak and loss,” comes a loud, complaining voice.

Genesis Rhapsodos is another who is more than likely to become an Ancient; his usual companion as well. But tonight, as Cloud feels the familiar chill running down his spine, all he can think of is how bad his luck is.

It is also a test – can he succeed this time?

(he hopes. Gods above he _hopes_ he can…)

“I think you are incorrect,” the Silver General said, his voice as annoyed as ever.

Cloud wiped his eyes.

(I am old as fuck, I should not be crying like a _child,_ ) he thought to himself, steeling himself.

He didn’t _have_ to meet Sephiroth now, right –

“Oi! You!” A hand clamped down on his shoulder.

Cloud had no time to adjust, because he was a fucking moron. So he _reacted,_ grabbing one of the Generals’ arms and using the taller, older man’s strength against him and throwing him into the Loveless fountain.

Cloud panted, as he stared at the Silver General and General Hewley, dread stirring through him as –

Well, Cloud was prepped to die again, is all. Either by ShinRa, or by Rhapsodos, because he knew – he _knew_ – that General Rhapsodos was probably going to murder him by fire.

Heat scorched his back as he heard General Rhapsodos rise from the fountain.

“Oh, Goddess,” he murmured, closing his eyes and praying to Minerva, “may your judgement for my stupidity be swift and merciful.”

His shoulder was grasped but heated hands –

“Genesis, don’t –“

“Relax, I’m _sure_ he’ll enjoy the water as much as I did!”

He was dunked into the water; as he was below and still praying to each god and goddess he knew, even the Lifestream, he heard something shudder below.

See, the fountain had been shut off years previous because of budget issues of bringing water up from below. It was replenished with water every few weeks – mako-saturated water, so nobody drank out of it or bathed in it, and dipping a SOLDIER in it was the only harm _less_ aspect of it – so it didn’t look gross, but hearing the fountain turn on caused a jolt of alarm in Cloud, and he sat up –

Water exploded out of the top of the fountain, slamming into Cloud. General Rhapsodos was complaining, outside the fountain – Cloud dragged himself out of the fountain, completely soaked and stunned.

Cloud had never seen this happen. The fountain _couldn’t_ just spontaneously start working again – it was literally imposs –

(he stopped, because ‘impossible’ was also attributed to time travel and _Cloud,_ so…)

He was being hauled to his feet when he came back to himself.

“That’s impossible,” he heard himself say aloud – and he found himself fading, his body suddenly so fatigued it collapsed in on him. His vision turned black, and the last thing he thought he saw was Genesis staring down at him with annoyed familiarity.

~:~

Genesis was… uneasy.

He thought, _maybe seeing a LOVELESS play will bring my spirits up._ He had dragged Sephiroth, bundled up to the nines so as to not be conspicuous, and Angeal out solely to have _one_ night of fun.

The closer he got to it, the tighter the knot – something told him to _not_ go. He was always listening to his instincts, so he decided a small ‘detour’ was in the works.

“We’ll still make the opening,” he lied.

(he dreams of Angeal dying – of Sephiroth being an insane bastard, of someone _stabbing_ Sephiroth, of – of multiple times of doing this. It was vague and unknowable, and for once, it was _scaring him.)_

The fountain was where his unease dissipated completely, and he remarked on all the sad assholes – and then he’d seen _him._

The blonde man was weirdly familiar, even from the back; Genesis abandoned his comrades and clamped a hand on his shoulder, shouting at him.

The kid reacted, using strength to flip Genesis into the pool.

His first thought is murder; his second, as he flicks his fire to life and his eyes spot an earring _NOT HIM._ Something told him that killing this boy was a shitty move _and_ a terrible mistake.

He hauled the boy up into the fountain instead, automatically making a snappy remark.

And then he sees the boy’s face as he splashed down into the water.

 _Cloud Strife._ Flashes – flashes of images of a life that was _his_ dances in his mind, but they don’t make sense. Genesis ignored them (temporarily) as he jumps out of the fountain and complains violently about how hard it was to keep leather nice after it was soaked.

Strife crawled out of the fountain, looking shocked as he collapsed, facing the fountain.

Genesis had to take him in – Cloud Strife _was_ once part of ShinRa, right? – so he began hauling him up, ready to slap cuffs on him.

“That’s impossible,” Cloud said, right before he decided to collapse. Genesis caught him, lowering him to the ground and keeping his face from hitting the ground; Strife’s eyes fluttered before they rolled back.

“Huh,” Genesis muttered, picking the kid up and tossing him over his shoulder. “We should head back,” he said, his voice businesslike.

Both Sephiroth and Angeal stared at him – and Genesis fights his grimace, turning away from them and heading towards ShinRa Tower. They get stares, of course, but Genesis simply barreled through the crowds; it would be equally safest and the _least_ safe place for the boy.

He just had to make sure that neither Hojo or Hollander got their hands on him.

~:~

Claudia Strife had heard the helicopter. She sat at her own table, dry-eyed and yet still wooden, staring at the last picture of her son with his team. He’d been _stupidly_ tiny compared to the other members of the group. She didn’t move when she heard the helicopter, but she did finally move when she heard the knock. Just a little.

“Come in,” she said, her voice rough.

The door opened, and a soft voice intruded. She recalled that voice, the first time – delivering her son’s personal affects to her, personally, for some stupid reason that made no sense, because ShinRa wouldn’t _waste_ money on just a random dead soldier – kind and firm.

“Miss Strife,” Tseng said, his voice gentle, kind and firm. “Miss Strife, there’s been a rather startling development concerning your son. If you would please come with me, we will provide you with all items for personal hygiene.”

Claudia stood.

“Fine,” she said, harshly. “Finally ready to release his body, hmm? About time.”

She stalked past him; the other villagers were onlooking curiously. Mayor Lockhart cleared his throat.

“Claudia…” he began as Tseng shut her door.

“Save it,” Claudia said, harshly. “I’m getting my son’s body, and then we can send him to peace.”

Even known as the village outcast, Cloud deserved _that_ much – he had died while on a mission, so Claudia could only pray that the gods would allow him into Valhalla.

Lockheart inclined his head. The villagers, as curious as they were, wouldn’t be so rude as to break into her home and steal a dead boy’s personal items.

Not even the younger generations would.

Tifa Lockheart, somehow, retained the stubborn thought of Cloud not being dead.

Claudia pitied the child.

~:~

Cloud woke up, and Hojo was next to him.

Cloud had killed him a total of five-hundred and twelve times – so, understandably, he found himself completely blindsided and screamed, yanking out his IV and running out of the room (because who the _fuck_ knew how long Hojo had been in there), tripping into a corridor filled with the infantry all going to and from classes.

Cloud was aware his scream was high-pitched, but as he stared around himself, he heard Hojo call him back.

“Get back here, boy!”

Okay, if there was _one_ thing that followed him throughout his nearly six hundred lives, it was that nasal voice, laughing and being all around the _worst_ person in the world.

“Come on, kid – best get it –“ A SOLDIER, a Third, given the mako sheen wasn’t really all glowy, grasped Cloud by the upper arm. Cloud punched him in the face with half his strength.

The Third dropped, out cold.

“Don’t _touch_ me,” Cloud snapped, running down the hallway, shoving past people, aware he was half-naked.

(Well, when you live so many times, nakedness doesn’t really phase you much. Cloud had even done the nudist thing, well-aware that he might very well actually legitimately die if he saved _him_ in time, but he didn’t.)

The elevator next to the stairs dinged open, and Genesis Rhapsodos caught him.

Cloud knew he was more than a match for Sephiroth; he yanked his arm out of Rhapsodos’, intending to flee, but then Rhapsodos grabbed him firmly – Cloud looked up into his eyes.

“Minerva sends her regards,” Genesis murmured, his eyes steady.

 _Too steady,_ and _peaceful –_

“There was a pasty man next to me,” he said, attempting to play it down – as though Genesis had asked.

Genesis’ face grew thunderous and scary.

“I told the nurses this infirmary was _off limits,”_ he snarled, letting Cloud go and stalking forward. Cloud followed almost obediently; in truth, Cloud wanted to know how _Genesis_ remembered, if the Goddess had in fact shown Herself to him.

Genesis exploded, a whirlwind of not entirely faked anger. Hojo actually seemed to almost piss himself.

Hojo left, Cloud almost stuck to Genesis as he did – cadets were staring as they passed the room, both wanting to know and not wanting to.

Cloud turned to Genesis, not knowing what to say; Genesis inclined his head. “You know you are Cloud Strife, correct?”

Cloud knew exactly where the cameras were.

“I do, yes. I know who you are, too – the famed Red General.” He was known by that moniker in several of the more recent lives – not because of his habit of blood-spilling, nor his leather coat; it was his fire that named him such.

“And you,” the Red General returned, “Minerva’s Strife.”

The Turks would have a field day, but in the end they wouldn’t understand. ‘Minerva’ could be _anyone._

That, though, was code enough.

“Someone is here to see you,” Genesis said. “You’ve been unconscious for several days. Don’t worry, I’ve been making sure that Hojo hasn’t gone anywhere near you – he must have gotten the guts to come in here not long before you woke up.”

Cloud knew that Hojo might find something in his blood, but Cloud saw the cold, harsh line of the Red General’s Death Look, the Look that meant someone was going to be murdered. Painfully.

Cloud knew Hojo was going to die horribly tonight.

The smirk that twisted over his features would, of course, alarm the Turks, but Cloud was far from caring.

~:~

Claudia kept her hope bundled down as she followed Tseng into the corridor and into a room labeled ‘infirmary’. Her eyes were drawn to the figure on the bed, who turned –

“ _Cloud,”_ she gasped, lighting up and darting to her son. Her son was out of bed in a flash, wearing dark fatigues and a loose shirt over his small frame.

“Ma.”

It was gasped.

When she looked into his eyes… She knew.

~:~

…as callous as he might have been, he had only seen her a handful of times, a hundred stolen minutes. She always seemed to understand, her smile turning knowing.

He tries to avoid her in every single timeline, because –

_She always dies._

Always. Without fail.

Ma Strife always dies, and it is one of two constants.

“Ma,” he gasped, looking into her eyes.

(How long has it been since –

Three hundred and two times since he’s last seen his ma.)

“My Cloud,” she murmured, cupping his face. She looked thin and worn; Cloud clutched at her almost desperately.

The Red General didn’t know in any lifetimes how much time had passed since he’d last seen her. His ma wouldn’t understand, either. He drank in her profile, inwardly cursing – how many times had she believed he was dead and wasted away?

“You should only stay a couple days,” Genesis warned them both. “Any longer and they’ll get suspicious of your intentions.”

Cloud nodded. “Got it.”

He only needs a couple things from ShinRa anyway.

“And the scientists won’t be an issue from here on out,” Genesis said right before stalking out.

Cloud would be worried, but he’s got his ma right in front of him.

~:~

Rufus ShinRa is well-aware of his father’s other children. Lazard was one of them, of course; hired into the company out of necessity by the president to keep an eye on his children, make sure none of them were revealed. Rufus knew of three others that had the eyes.

Until now, though, he thought that his father’s interest in his children was only passing; after all, none of them went into the SOLDIER program, none of them upset the balance.

Until Cloud Strife.

Oh, Rufus hadn’t even realized it until he’d dug deeper – even had a Turk do some discreet digging.

Cloud Strife of Nibelheim was another of his illegitimate bastards, and he was trying to be a SOLDIER.

_Was._

Rufus hadn’t even known the other _existed_ until his ‘death’, having apparently drowned in a mako pool. The President had closed himself into his office, hiding – Rufus knew, somehow, the man was legitimately anguished about his death.

Now, his father had brought the mother here; Rufus wondered if it were a kind of punishment. He had his PHS out – the one not company-related – to call his Avalanche when his world was shaken again.

Two days after he’d woken, Strife and his mother vanished.

Not, though, before getting into the computer system and obtaining sensitive information – vital points to hit a reactor to disable it permanently.

And Rufus’ PHS number.

Before he could gloat (for it was actually in his nature to gloat) or tell Tseng to kill Strife, the company itself went into a state of emergency.

He found himself in Hojo’s lab, experiments gone and gore covering the floor. Rufus’ normally unflappable demeanor was shattered, because _was that a femur sticking –_

Bile rose in his throat as he looked at Hollander and Hojo’s disgustingly mutilated forms in a cage – _together._ Someone had _melted them together._

And let the experiments out… To kill them both.

“Well, someone wanted them dead,” General Hewley said, looking sick.

“Possibly… this person.” Sephiroth motioned towards the wall.

_With love, Red General._

Angeal swore. “Dammit, Genesis, what have you done?”

“ _What I needed to, Angeal.”_

They all looked to the observation room. Genesis stared down at them, a Summon materia rolling in his palm.

“ _Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess, my friends.”_ Genesis smiled, the glass shattering as Sephiroth raced into the observatory, Masamune flashing to cut the glass away.

Genesis simply laughed.

“It’s time,” he said, backing up –

He was gone before Masamune finished its slice, the Red General leaving nothing but a bloody bootprint.

“What the fuck?” Angeal breathed, looking genuinely confused.

“You had no idea this was going to happen?” Rufus figured he didn’t, but –

“He’s been off for a few weeks,” Angeal admitted, “but – not _that_ off. He sounds insane.”

“How did he manage to _leave,_ is what I’m wondering. He _vanished.”_ Tseng opened his PHS.

“No, he didn’t.” Sephiroth stood. “He cast a very powerful Stop on everyone – In fact, I’d say he had help. He probably walked out without anyone being the wiser, or he put a Stop on them, too.”

Tseng’s PHS rang.

Tseng frowned after looking at the number.

“What is it?” he asked, curtly.

 _“Hello, Tseng.”_ An electronically modified voice filtered out from the PHS. “ _You may call me Freyr.”_

“Or should I call you Cloud Strife?” Rufus’ brows crunched together, wondering how he’d divine _that_ with just a name. Tseng swiftly hit the new ‘speakerphone’ button. Freyr’s voice filled the air.

 _“I am not that silly little child,”_ Freyr said. “ _The boy is just a means to an end, nothing more. I’m far more interested for you to know that someone’s been playing with the Silver General’s mind.”_

Tseng hummed. “And how would I know that this information is correct?”

A hum on the other end. Sephiroth was preternaturally still.

 _“I’ll give you a gift, Sephiroth, that’s far better than despair. Your mother’s name was Lucrecia, and your father’s name was…”_ Here the man on the end laughed. _“Oh, Tseng – you’ll have to tell Veld this story. Your father’s name is Vincent Valentine.”_

Tseng went pale.

_“And before you tell me it’s a lie, I’ll send Valentine your way. Oh… and no matter what, Tseng, I’ll be watching Sephiroth **very closely** from now on. If he even **ventures** towards Nibelheim, I’ll cut his fucking head off and display it on a pike.”_

Freyr’s altered voice gave Rufus genuine chills. The PHS’ screen died, showing Freyr was no longer on the phone with Tseng.

Sephiroth was very, very still.

Sephiroth’s phone pinged.

“I’m going to murder Genesis,” he said, calmly turning and dropping to the ground.

Rufus caught a glimpse of the text.

_From: Genesis_

_To: Sephiroth_

_> >ur mom aint jenova her names Lucrecia _

~:~

Claudia Strife peered at the red-cloaked man.

“He said something about you telling Sephiroth about Lucrecia,” Claudia said, her kitchenette not meant for two people.

“You are Cloud’s mother,” he said, staring at her.

“I am,” Claudia said, readily. “And I know my son has lived through too much. I don’t want to know how much, not now,” she added. “When he’s done… Tell him to stop by.”

Valentine nodded.

“He also told me to tell you _not_ to kill Jenova yet.” Claudia didn’t know who she was, but – judging by the light inside the man’s eyes – he did.

He nodded before vanishing, taking along a small pouch she’d asked him to deliver.

She clasped her hands together, praying to the Old Gods.

_Protect my son… Please._

~:~

Freyr stared at Barrett, his dark brown hair a contrast from his normal yellow. ‘Freyr’ was a persona Cloud adopted to hide his own activities – it had worked amazingly well in hundreds of past loops. Use a mechanical mask around his eyes to give the illusion of blindness and leave his body language cold and uncaring… Easy.

He just had to disguise multiple people as Freyr so that nobody suspected Cloud of being Freyr. _Aerith_ had proposed the idea – Cloud had rolled with it. Aerith really never changed.

Cloud, on the other hand, had to be _just_ subservient enough so that nobody would know. To this Freyr, Cloud was nothing but a toy – a pretty toy.

(Cloud’s interpretation of chaotic neutral was apparently a less-evil, very much still crazy Sephiroth, according to Aerith. Considering Cloud had drawn _from_ Sephiroth for two interpretations… Well, actually, the next ‘interpretation’ was far creepier, so he didn’t feel insulted on Sephiroth’s behalf. Then again, Sephiroth regularly went insane on most loops, so…)

“Where’s the blonde kid?” Barrett demanded, shifting as he looked at the man.

“ _Cloud?”_ Freyr smirked, pushing off from the wall, leather coat falling around stiletto boots (oooh, Cloud had _missed_ Giovanni’s ability in the year it had already been since he’d last worn these. Gio had made them _so damn_ comfortable; he was unable to wear the boots he’d died in because Bugenhagen had thrown them out after he’d gotten monster guts on them…). “Oh, Cloud is busy.” He allowed himself to flash teeth. “Now, shall we be off? I did not agree to do this simply to do nothing.” His voice was electronically distorted – Cloud’s voice was recognizable, Freyr’s was unknowable. Halexia and Cloud had done much by spreading rumors of Freyr’s abilities everywhere they’d been.

Aerith had helped, though Cloud was afraid to know _how._

He slid his swords onto his back. As Freyr, Cloud handled dual blades; if he stuck to First Tsurugi, the cat would be out of the bag as this mission happened.

“Besides, I know Cloud said I was coming. I monitor everything the fool boy does.”

He stalked past Biggs, who glared at him while clicking the clip into his gun.

~:~

Zack wanted answers; Sigma Squadron didn’t have them, but this mysterious Freyr might. That was what Zack told himself as he and a phalanx of infantrymen surrounded the figure dressed completely in black.

“Surrender,” Zack ordered.

Freyr looked like a badass. Zack had to admit that he had taste – Freyr’s ankle-length coat fluttered as he turned, the jacket completely bucked up. His stiletto boots were… _impractical,_ but gods if Zack didn’t get a bit bothered by it.

Freyr’s mouth twisted into a sneer. _“Zack Fair,”_ he sneered, voice altered. Zack cursed to himself; he wouldn’t be able to use voice recognition on him. “I thought you were smarter, from what my darling was saying. Apparently not.”

Zack pressed his mouth shut, before regaining control of himself. “I said, _surrender,_ Freyr.” He kept his hands behind his back, gesturing for Ramirez to start creeping around. He wasn’t going to blow this – Cloud could be in danger.

“I like how my name comes from your mouth, Fair.” Freyr was smirking. “Tell me… Do you know my origins by simply the name? I would be surprised –“

“Nibelheim,” Zack ground out. “You’re one of their Old Gods – a god of peace and fertility.”

Freyr paused, before a soft smile appeared on his face.

“Well. I _am_ impressed.”

Ramirez tackled the imposter.

Zack approached, hearing something soft coming from Freyr as he said something to Ramirez – who looked amazed.

Zack opened his mouth –

He blinked and they were gone, both Ramirez and Freyr.

A loud, foul oath exploded from Zack, who stabbed the ground with his sword angrily.

~:~

“One of our reactors will not work, no matter what we do.” Heidegger scowled. “The group known as ‘Avalanche’ is getting bolder.”

“Not so much _bolder_ as more powerful,” Scarlet countered. “Freyr is the only legitimately unidentifiable being.”

She clicked a remote and presented the video.

The man dressed in black was fast – and yet, he didn’t permanently maim anyone. Nor did his companions – they had stun weaponry. One shot, one down.

Freyr _was_ shockingly strong – and his weapons were no match for that strength. As soon as Freyr had cut through the Airbuster – a prototype that had only been the bare _bones_ of what it was supposed to be – the swords had shattered; Freyr had destroyed them with a wave of his hand.

Scarlet froze it there, a materia glow showing in Freyr’s gloves.

“We can also add kidnapping to his crime of treason,” Heidegger revealed, smirking. “He took an infantryman from SOLDIER Fair’s entourage. Next time he appears, we should send Sephiroth to apprehend him.”

“If it’s the same person,” Scarlet countered, fingers flying over her keyboard.

A new image was pulled up.

“ _We are here in Junon, watching as a man named Freyr has laid waste to the ShinRa building. No casualties are reported_.” A shaky camera hand showed a man dressed in red, wearing a red half-mask. It was unmistakable – it was _very_ clearly Genesis Rhapsodos, but his beloved Rapier was nowhere in sight. He carried no weapons – as they watched, Genesis leapt off the building –

Scarlet once more froze the image.

“Of course, one can assume that _he_ is dead, as only an idiot would leap off a building, but _clearly_ there’s some brainwashing going on. General Rhapsodos is claiming to be Freyr _and_ this Red General being; the only thing the two Freyr have in common is a lack of confirmed kills.” Scarlet flicked her nails. “The next Freyr could be that poor infantryman. I would suggest capture.”

The President moved.

“I want Freyr alive,” the President announced, “and I want searches doubled for the Strife boy.”

~:~

“Freyr is making a big mark,” Aerith said to her blonde companion. Her mother was wary of Cloud’s presence, probably because of his mako-eyes, but Aerith being Aerith simply waved her mother’s worries away. “Shouldn’t Freya appear soon?”

Cloud shrugged. “That’s up to you… _Freya.”_ He tossed her a half-smirk. “Should I try to recruit the E.F.Ts?”

‘Ever Friendly Turks’ meant the ones who had been genuine in helping them. Tseng, Elena… Reno, Rude. Cissnei, in several cases. Veld, in one.

“I thought Vincent was working on them.” Aerith had felt his waking up – so did Cloud.

“He is, but he’s still trying to figure out how to approach them. Apparently doing this so many times has given him and Chaos a bit of a hard on for drama.” Cloud flipped his magazine.

“What about Ramirez?” Aerith was merely curious about Cloud’s decision to kidnap his old squad mate.

“Well, if _you-know-who_ dies…” Cloud smirked at Aerith before it died; keeping it light worked only for a moment, because if _he_ did die… Well… They’d do it all again. “I’m going to keep Sigma safe this time around.”

Cloud always treasured moments with his friends and family.

“Nanaki is going to stay in Cosmo, and I think I have a safe way to turn Reeve to our side.” He slid shades on, laying back… on his back, letting the sun beat on him.

Aerith sighed and followed his example.

~:~

Sephiroth stared at Kunsel, the unflappable Second who was the third Freyr.

“What does Freyr have on you?” he demanded.

Kunsel arched a brow. Normally, even unflappable Kunsel would have turned on whomever he was working for – but not even the Turk methods seemed to break Kunsel’s will.

“Nothing,” Kunsel said, as he had every other time, smiling through bloody teeth. “I am Freyr, and I always have been.”

Sephiroth’s eyes narrowed.

“Well, then… Zack will surely be heartbroken.”

_There._

There was a flicker, a small flinch.

He opened his mouth –

Kunsel’s smile was honest.

“No, I rather think he’ll thank me.”

Three raps sounded on the door; Sephiroth stalked out, anger simmering in his veins.

“He’s yours,” he snapped to who he thought was Tseng, not looking at the man.

The door clicked shut.

He made it to his office, flicking on the lights and staring with wide eyes before bolting all the way back to the interrogation office.

It was empty.

No sign of Kunsel, or the imposter.

~:~

Kunsel had been one of the men sent to guard the fountain; tests had been done to find a foreign substance in it – it was ill-advised to touch the water.

Kunsel didn’t _intentionally_ touch it – no, it was his comrade who’d touched it, cupped it in his hands and threw some at Kunsel.

Nothing had happened for a few days – not until he’d caught a glimpse of yellow hair, and he was instantly assaulted with a flurry of vague images.

Cloud. _Cloud._ Savior of the Planet, _Cloud._

_Zack’s friend._

Kunsel felt a strong pull – enough to find him, search for him and go AWOL from ShinRa. To be the third Freyr, to be the one to get caught. He knew enough to know that Cloud wasn’t _the kid Zack befriended,_ not here, not now. Cloud was trying to –

Well. Kunsel knew his plan.

He expected to be tortured.

(Compared to one of the visions, this was nothing.)

He didn’t expect rescue; so when he woke and Cloud hovered over him, worry in his eyes, Kunsel smiled.

“Thank you.”

Cloud smiled back, distant as ever before moving away.

~:~

Freya appeared, her face marred by paint and her hair a beautiful honey brown. She wore far more practical clothes as she stood next to the blue-decked Freyr. Knowing it was Kunsel hit Zack hard as he raced to stop the two.

He went to disarm the blue Freyr, but was stopped by Freya’s mithril staff.

Freya trembled, betraying her augmented status; Kunsel acted and kicked Zack away.

“My lady,” Kunsel murmured, “you should go.”

Freya nodded, darting to the edge of the walkway and stepping off.

Zack gasped.

“You just –“

“Relax, Zack.” Kunsel tapped the side of his head. The mask faded away. “Freya can handle herself.”

“Kunsel, why are you doing this?” Zack didn’t _want_ to hurt his friend.

Kunsel smiled. It was weird to see that enigmatic smile so soft.

“For Cloud,” he said.

Zack frowned. “But – you barely knew him.”

Kunsel chuckled.

“Zack… You’ll see.”

The third Freyr stilled for a moment, his eyes fixating over Zack’s shoulder – then Kunsel ran across the walkway and followed Freya.

Zack didn’t realize until later that Rodriguez, a member of Sigma, was missing.

~:~

The Red General hummed as he walked with the blonde Ancient; Aerith chatted loudly.

“Well, you said that you were more affected after the fountain started working, so I spoke to Minerva.” She turned to them, smiling. “Cloud, you used my ability. Congratulations, Cloud – you are officially an Ancient.”

Cloud huffed in quiet amusement.

Genesis arched a brow.

“You don’t seem too surprised.”

“I have lived in these loops for thousands of years, Genesis.” Cloud rolled his eyes. “I’m too fucking old to be surprised by anything but variations in the loops.”

“Have you ever tried being the villain?” Genesis wondered.

Cloud shook his head. “It didn’t end well.”

Aerith’s wince echoed. “Minerva wasn’t pleased.”

“She was more pissed than when I became a nudist for those ten loops.” Cloud smirked. “Besides, I’m not the only one stuck in eternal loops, though I have more freedom than he does.”

“Who?” Genesis frowned. “I thought… Very specific people were aware of the loops.”

“We’re connected by Minerva, though she can only connect us when we’re in the Lifestream or dreaming. Once the Planet heals, I’m hoping to help him out,” Cloud admitted. “He’s stuck in a loop of twelve years, and the only other person who is with him… she can’t deteriorate from her role. She tried, and the consequences were awful for both.”

Genesis hummed. “So you have different experiences, but they’re similar enough you can predict what will happen?”

“To varying degrees,” Cloud said, shrugging. “Freyr works because there’s multiple; one is obviously you and one is known to be Kunsel. But if you or him were to dye your hair and dress up as the black-clothed Freyr and accompany me… There will be no doubt that Cloud and Freyr are different people. In every case that Freyr has been used, that is undeniable.”

“Freya will have to appear with each of them,” Aerith said with a smirk. “Luckily, I’ve done this for a while.” She and Cloud smirked at each other.

~:~

Cloud stepped into the bar, with hunched shoulders. Behind him, the dark-haired Freyr strode in; he was enhanced – an old foe-turned-ally. Kadaj and his brothers were still very much not on this side of sane, but Kadaj’s early arrival… Cloud had a feeling Minerva was tired of all these loops, too, and she was the one insistent on them!

Kadaj was just sane enough to pretend to be the cruel, possessive Freyr – as evidenced as he cleared his throat.

“Move,” he said, just the right amount of acid in his tone. “Let the adults talk, boy.”

Cloud slid over to the side – letting his body language tell the story. Jessie – newly recruited – put a hand on his shoulder as Freyr stalked into the back room.

Freya – Aerith in disguise – stepped into the bar. Behind her, the Red General – not the Red Freyr – stepped behind her, hand on his rapier. Cloud was aware that they were invited; he’d taken every precaution, as paranoid as his thousands of years had made him.

Today, they were assaulting a fifth mako reactor.

Freya was there to provide healing backup, the Red General to – unknowing to the Avalanche members included here – provoke ShinRa. There had been clashes – Kunsel’s capture, the Dark Freyr’s meeting with Zack, Cloud’s wordless clash with a younger Roche (and by the old gods, that had been fucking _weird._ Apparently his obsession with motorcycles lasted longer than Cloud thought it would) – but Cloud had had the creeping sense and paranoia something was going to go fucking _wrong._

Kadaj knew better than to be around Sephiroth – Sephiroth might feel something off about him.

Kadaj exited about an hour after entering the back room, Cloud ignoring Jessie’s attempts to speak with him.

“Come, Strife.” Kadaj offered him a smirk. “We’re going to go _play.”_

“Saddle up, fools!” Barrett opened his arms. “We gonna go stick it to the man!”

A raucous cheer, dimmed only by Freyr’s scoff, shouted through the room.

~:~

Sephiroth eyed the large group of Avalanche members. Better to wait until they thought they were golden; there seemed to be a few less of their number.

The black-suited Freyr stopped.

“Strife.” Freyr sounded bored.

Zack’s pithy little friend stiffened.

“We’re leaving,” Freya said, her voice sharp.

Sephiroth landed in front of them. Genesis stared at him in… faux surprise.

“Well, well, well,” the redhead said with a smirk. “ _Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess.”_

He withdrew Rapier; Strife held out a hand.

“Distract the others,” Strife said, glancing at Freyr.

Freyr nodded before he and Freya – who looked surprisingly familiar – vanished in a streak of Haste; Strife stepped forward and stared Sepiroth dead in the eye.

“Wait,” Genesis said, narrowing his eyes. “Go help the idiot with the gun arm.”

Strife hesitated. Sephiroth went to strike –

Genesis blocked Masamune.

“ _Go!”_

Strife vanished.

~:~

Zack didn’t want to _kill_ these morons, just stop them from destroying more mako reactors. He’d already knocked out a woman and an overweight man, now he was lunging towards the lean one shooting tranq rounds.

He aimed to knock him out, but his body was shunted to the side.

Zack had, in the past, been thrown by Angeal. Multiple times, in face.

He had never been in _this_ much agony – bruised ribs at the _least._

“ _Run!”_ Cloud’s voice shouted. Zack shoved the other off; Cloud rolled away.

And it _was_ Cloud.

Blue eyes met his in grim resolve; there was no familiarity in his eyes.

Similar to that night with Aerith, a couple months previous – there had been no recognition for him in those eyes. Aerith had brushed it off, saying he was a ‘friend from Sector 6’.

But now… Now, there was no mistaking that Cloud didn’t know who he was.

Because if he did… If he did, would Cloud be _doing this?_

“I’ll give you a chance to walk away,” Cloud said, his voice hard – not a tremor in his body. “Walk away, SOLDIER.”

“Cloud, please.” Cloud frowned. “You’re my friend. Freyr has – I dunno – brainwashed you or some shit.”

Fear passed through Cloud’s eyes, glittering and bright.

Cloud yelled, slamming his sword forward. Zack blocked it, backing up a bit – unable to handle the sheer force of the weapon slamming into him, rattling his teeth and jaws.

Zack could barely keep up against the onslaught of blows, Cloud just _coming at him_ with an expression of rage, fevered _rage_ that seemed to keep him going.

Until it stopped, Cloud’s eyes flashing as he stepped back, body heaving from what he’d just done.

Zack lunged, meaning to capture –

Cloud vanished.

Zack swiveled, still hearing the sounds of battle. Zack managed to spot Cloud on the edge – apparently he’d only needed Zack to be Stopped for a moment, not the time it took for him leave.

Cloud put his fingers in his mouth and whistled.

In a moment, Genesis was there, Sephiroth passing Zack and running towards them –

“ _Cloud, wait!”_

Cloud started for a moment, his entire body jolting, turning –

Sephiroth blurred.

Genesis’ eyes widened as he tried to bring Rapier down to stop it –

Masamune was grabbed, an inch before it sank into Cloud’s heart.

Cloud was calmly holding the weapon, and for a moment, it looked like he was going to lose his grip – Masamune shook as Sephiroth’s wide eyes stared at Cloud.

Cloud fell backwards, letting Masamune go and diving, alone, _without any gear,_ towards the lower plate.

Zack scrambled towards them as Genesis followed suit, crossing his arms and falling dramatically down.

In a few moments, there was nothing there.

~:~

“Let’s never do that again.” Cloud always said that about something, and yet – well, he’s done plenty of things he’d sworn never to do again.

Genesis just grunted beside him, both of them sore from falling and getting caught by Aerith being an actual badass. Who knew she could calculate where exactly Cloud and Genesis would fall and have hundreds of bales of hay all stacked up there?

(Cloud did. He remembered, but didn’t begrudge Aerith her badassery.)

Still, he had more plans to do – this time involving the members of his Avalanche cell.

This time, there would be no mistakes. He had to protect Zack.

Zack…

Cloud sat up, ignoring his aches and pains.

“We have to do it, Aer.”

It may have been too early, but it might be their _chance._ He looked up to Aerith who nodded.

“I know,” she said, her voice quiet as she kneaded her hands. “First, let’s get Sigma out of there, okay? We have two down –“ Ramirez and Rodriguez “- so two more, then we can start our work on the others.”

“Right.” He had let Rodriguez and Ramirez into his group, into his home – there was a strong chance they were just _waiting_ for Cloud to go nuts, but Cloud wasn’t completely off the deep end.

Nah, he still had a few hundred more years in him before he went completely insane.

(He still felt bad for Noct and Lunafreya, but right then they weren’t his problem. _His_ world was his problem.)

He made his way into the more homely mansion that used to be Don Corneo’s, and they were there – staring at him with clear worry.

“Look, Cloud,” Ramirez began, only for Cloud to hold his hand up.

“I have no right to ask you,” Cloud admitted to them, “but I need you safe. You can train here in Sector Six, but _don’t go back to ShinRa.”_

98% probability they would, anyway.

He turned from them, unable to face them.

(His squad had been friendly to him – and had been unable to save him in all but his first lifetime, Ramirez catching him. That was the mission right before Nibelheim.

His death stops that mission, but _why?_ Why, whenever he changes one thing –)

Cloud stopped on the stairs.

“Aerith!” He hollered her name. _“Aerith I had a new IDEA!”_

Aerith stopped, gasped, and looked over to him, her eyes wide.

“What?”

“Why can’t we send Jenova to _space?!”_

Aerith opened her mouth, maybe to berate him on how stupid that idea was.

Granted, he’d had some pretty stupid New Ideas.

(Okay, during fifteenth life he’d had the idea of introducing zombies, which was right before the Villain Life he tried to never recall. The zombie thing had been the idea to both work and _not_ work, because Zack and Sephiroth and Jenova had all died and the world _still_ ended, but it still gave the Planet a burst because… well, the cause of death hadn’t been Jenova-related.)

“Fuck.” Aerith facepalmed. Hard. “ _Why THE FUCK haven’t we thought about that?”_

“Maybe because you’ll still have the problem of Jenova on another world,” Genesis suggested primly.

“Minerva can intervene, right?” An idea was coming to life. “Can she send the bitch and someone else to another world?”

Aerith beamed, understanding immediately where he was coming from.

“Oh yes,” she said, grinning. “And even in the very time period where we need. Coming back shouldn’t be an issue, either.”

“No. Okay. So there’s a plan.”

They grinned at one another.

“He’ll hate you,” Aerith said, still grinning.

“No mako, no way she can pass herself off as an Ancient. At least it’ll be something different for him.”

She nodded. “Yeah, true. But first, other members of Sigma, then Zack, Angeal, and Sephiroth?”

Cloud nodded.

“Just one question, Cloud.” Kunsel smirked up from his position on the ground. “How the fuck did it not occur to you until now?”

Cloud flushed. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I guess I’ve killed the bitch, what… Five hundred times at the _least?”_

Aerith giggled.

~:~

Rodriguez is under no illusions that his former squad-mate was a few marbles short; he was well-aware. He also knew that he really should get back to ShinRa and inform on him.

But he didn’t.

Cloud Strife claimed to be a man of many lifetimes – he’d lived hundreds of years, from the point of his death in the mako pool. He had straight-out informed both him and Ramirez of the gruesome deaths he’d suffered. It had taken many, many conversations with Ramirez since his own kidnapping.

They didn’t want their squad-mate to suffer any more.

Still, seeing Smith and Falcon in the room, wide-eyed and obviously worried for their health as Cloud finally took off the Freyr mask in front of them was almost enough to get them running.

Only thing was… _Freyr only wounded._ He did not kill – as though he knew his own strength.

“Aer, I’ve got to get Tifa to the fountain – and the others. I don’t know how to do it.”

Aerith sighed from her place at the table.

“You can’t.” Rodriguez turned to Halexia, the keeper of the house. She’d been using illegal technology to keep the lights on under the Plate. “You can’t get up there without an ID, and while you’ve all been labeled as being _watched,_ unless you have the Turks on your side, it’s obvious you can’t.”

Instead of being worried, Cloud smirked as he tossed his jacket elsewhere. Aerith smirked at her place, too.

“Tell Vincent that the fountain is needed to bring back their memories.” Aerith beamed. “We should have a pretty clear place; they’ll need to be subtle about this.”

“I know.” Cloud stretched. “Make yourselves at home, Smith, Falcon.”

Rodriguez bit back a smile as Smith and Falcon huddled with Rodriguez and Ramirez.

~:~

“This is fucking _weird,”_ Reno said, as he stood around the fountain with Cissnei. Cissnei nodded, but she didn’t look too troubled as she perched on the edge of it.

The square was eerily quiet. Two dozen Turks were patrolling – keeping citizens away, making damn sure ShinRa didn’t know what they were up to – waiting and watching for the group of Avalanche, led by Freyr.

They slunk out of the dark, one moment not there the next heading quickly to the fountain – not wasting any time. Freyr walked up directly to Reno – who _knew._

“Hey, Strife. Keepin’ outta trouble yet?”

Freyr’s altered voice laughed darkly. “Fucking Turk.” There was affection in his voice, though.

“ _Cloud?”_ Ah, there was Miss Big-Tits.

“Move, or be moved,” Cloud ordered suddenly. “We can’t wait any longer.”

“We didn’t come up here to play in a damn _fountain,_ Freyr.” Wallace, the man with the machine gun for an arm, stepped up behind the smaller man.

“Oh, Barrett. This will clear up everything for you.”

“Kid –“ Wallace touched him.

In hindsight, it wasn’t a good idea. Wallace sailed into the damn fountain.

“Fuck,” Freyr said.

“Hurry up,” Reno urged.

“ _Damn it all!”_ Wallace bellowed.

Two of the people he didn’t care about raced into the water to help Wallace up.

They fell, though; the magical water poured over them.

“Tifa.” Freyr’s voice was just fucking _creepy,_ as soft as it might be. “Trust me.”

He held out a hand.

She nodded, walking into the fountain, Cloud right behind her in Freyr costume.

Reno was too slow to understand fully what happened. Hundreds of soldiers appeared as Tifa dipped herself into the fountain.

Clicks, a hundred of them – the square was fucking _covered._

There was no way in fucking hell – no, no no –

“Surrender to ShinRa _at once!”_

_FUCKING ZACK FAIR!_

“Fuck,” Cissnei hissed. “Fuck. Zack, you don’t understand –“

No, Zack wasn’t in the fucking _mood_ to understand.

“All you ShinRa fucks need to get the fuck away!” Wallace held up a red materia – an Ifrit summon.

“Don’t, Barrett.” Freyr sighed, sounding tired. “You have your jobs.”

He flicked his hand. Another Ifrit materia slid into his palm.

“It’s time to settle this once and for all.”

“ _I’m glad you feel that way.”_

Freyr faltered; one could understand why. Reno certainly did.

“You know the plan, Reno.” Cloud marched forward, his boots thudding repetitively on the ground. “Now _go!”_

He flung out his hand.

A monstrous roar came from nowhere as, out of the red Summon materia, formed a not-quite-there giant wolf.

Reno, despite wanting desperately to see what would happen next, hauled ass. He had a rocket scientist to find – and only Tifa and Barrett Wallace would know exactly where to find Cid Highwind.

~:~

Cloud has been killed by Zack on numerous occasions.

Forty-three times, to be exact. Stabbed fatally twice, accidents the other times. In one of his lifetimes, Cloud had had a severe reaction to citrus. In several lifetimes, it was a prank at the wrong time.

He had never summoned Fenris before and fought both Sephiroth _and_ Zack. He’d left his instructions with Aerith, who already knew half of what Cloud had told her to do.

He leaped onto the edge of the fountain, knowing this was probably going to end badly. Fenris had knocked everyone out, leaving none but the gaping, forming crowd to watch as Sephiroth and Zack just kept _pounding into him –_

He snorted, unintentionally before he slipped.

“ _Son of a –“_

His mask came off in the middle of the fountain, the dye sliding away as he sat up, spluttering; Zack’s sword fell to the ground with a clatter as he jumped into the fountain.

“Cloud? Cloud, if Freyr has done something to you –“

“I’m sorry!” Cloud interrupted him, yanking him to the side to splash into the water and doing the disgusting thing and poured water into his mouth and flinging himself onto Sephiroth.

In fifty percent of the timelines (if he were rounding), Sephiroth went stark raving mad after learning his actions.

Still, Cloud had kissed Sephiroth hundreds of time in the past, enough to take a little bit advantage and force him to drink down the blessed water.

Only time would tell if Jenova being tossed into space and thrown to another planet would finish the job.

~:~

“I’m sorry, _what_ did you just say?”

Zack hid a smirk as the thousands-year-old blonde glared mightily at Rufus ShinRa, who looked rather unperturbed at the Ancient’s pissy attitude.

Considering Zack and Aerith were _responsible_ for him being an Ancient, Zack… _really_ couldn’t blame Cloud at the moment. He was being blindsided – for the first time in a _very,_ very long time.

“You’re apparently my brother,” Rufus said, ruthlessly. “Half-brother, at any rate.”

Cloud’s eye twitched.

“So, seeing as you, Lazard, and I all share the same father in the same company –“

“Rufus, I swear to fucking _Odin_ that if you make me a ShinRa I will castrate you –“

“I’ll take that as an ‘I don’t want anything to do with ShinRa anymore’. Honestly, Cloud, how could I _ever_ think there was a chance in hell.” Rufus was still smirking; Zack felt… left out.

“Look, Life Number two-hundred twenty was an odd set of years – you know I felt obligated to come in, figured I’d see if I missed anything but Sigma Squad.” Cloud grimaced. “And it was my mistake. Look, you should let Lazard take over the job.” Cloud shrugged. “Or take it yourself. _I don’t give a fuck.”_

“So what are you going to do?” Rufus clasped his hands together.

Cloud sighed. “If Jenova is well and truly gone, I’m going to fuck away from Midgar and see my ma. Maybe help a very good friend, if I had the Bitch placed where I wanted her to be, maybe come back here.”

Zack placed an arm around his Cloud.

“Speaking of visiting your ma, have you been to visit _my_ parents?”

“I did, yes – seventy times. I couldn’t do it after that, though.” Haunted grief slid over his face.

Rufus cleared his throat.

“Well, whatever you and the other Firsts decide, ShinRa will give you _whatever_ you need, okay?”

“Only if you stop fucking up the Planet, Rufus. Goddess knows that if I wake up, _again,_ in Bugenhagen’s home without my allies I’ll _fucking murder you.”_

Zack smirked, then steered his beloved Cloud Strife to the others.

(He remembers each life as it comes to him. He remembers a particular gruesome scene where Andrea Rhodea is tortured by an insane Sephiroth. Zack knows that lifetime wasn’t too long ago; still, as they passed the man in the district, he’s proud of Cloud for giving the man a stately nod.

They’re a great fivesome, even if Cloud doesn’t usually partake in the sex that much. He’s interested in them – he has a strange love for all of them, having already been all their partners in many lifetimes – usually separated, _once_ with all of them, but – well, Cloud and Cloud _alone_ has dealt with the repercussions of always coming back.

For now, there was peace, as much peace as Cloud Strife needed.

Sure, they’d all be tossed into the other world soon enough to help, but hey. They couldn’t get _too_ bored. They were Minerva’s Champions, after all.

And the Planet’s.)

~:~

**OR AKA BULLSHIT REIGNS, I ENDED THIS BECAUSE I DON’T ACTUALLY DO THAT WELL WITH TIME TRAVEL FICS AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN IN THE NEXT STORY WHICH WILL MOSTLY BE CRACK**

**Author's Note:**

> I reiterate: THIS IS A BUNCH OF CRAP AND I CANNOT WRITE GOOD, MORE THAN ONE-CHAPTER TIME TRAVEL STORIES.


End file.
